Lost My Trio

This is my first post... I have used BYC for Ideas and reference every since my Beautiful wife Diane and I started raising chickens about 2 years ago. I have often wanted to post but just never took the time to register... until now. I woke up Sunday morning and wondered why Leroy and his 2 girls were not out in the run. It was a wonderfully warm December day in the Carolinas and there was no reason they should be inside. Diane and I had taken a trip to Ashville on Saturday and did not return until after dark, I had got the eggs before we left so I did not check on the Chickens when we got home. Well I went out to see what was so exciting in the coop and was horrified to find that the fence was ripped from the coop and there were feathers all over. The feathers were mainly from Leroy, A Beautiful Brown Leghorn about 9 Months old. I could not locate Leroy anywhere, so I assume he is dead and eaten. The girls I found in the coop dead, They must have gotten scratched up before they went in or maybe got too close to the door. Looks like the dog did not get in the coop as my door is very small. I had thought the fencing was good enough, I have had it all set up for about 4 months with no problems until last weekend.

Well as luck would have It I had Just hatched 6 Chicks in my homemade incubator, they are about 3 days old now... I was really not sure why I put the eggs in to hatch, I just love to hatch them, But Now I am so Glad I did!!!

I had 2 Buff Orpington Hens and the Brown Leghorn Cockerel, so I should have an interesting mix of Chickens. Some of the chicks have the chipmunk pattern of the Brown Leghorns, and one looks completely like an Orpington chick.

Sooo... any One have any Ideas on how to keep all the Neighborhood K-9's and others away from our Pets??? I think I am going to box in the run completely with wire floor and top.

I have Just cleaned out the Broader and my 5 Chicks are doing real good, I sure am glad I decided to set the eggs while I had them.... They will make Great replacements... I hope they start laying soon!!!!

An electric fence low to the ground around the outside of the pen works for me. I'm about to run my electric fence again to break a new dog we have. Just make sure it is low enough that they can't get under it to dig. Good luck!